O’Reilly No Longer a “Factor?” Can Trump be far Behind?

This caricature of Bill O'Reilly is based on a Creative Commons licensed photo from The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia's Flickr photostream.

Economic power makes a difference when it comes to social justice. How sweet to see corporate America turn on Bill O’Reilly and distance themselves from this latest Fox News sexual predator. They risked their ads on his show being seen as an endorsement of sexual harassment in the workplace. Companies all over the country are struggling to promote a diverse image because it makes good business sense. How can you (in theory) sell your product to women when you are lining the pockets of a sexual predator by supporting him with advertising?

Economic power rules and trumps loyalty at Fox as Roger Ailes and O’Reilly have found. Another factor that has been reported is that they yanked O’Reilly to save their bid to buy Sky News. The deal could have been jeopardized by the scandal, which would show the Murdochs to be “unfit owners.”

One wonders whether Trump’s Access Hollywood comments from 2005 that were made public back in October 2016 increased the hazard for O’Reilly. His defense of O’Reilly in the face of the growing scandal reminded people (not that much reminding is needed) of his own history of sexual harassment.

So what about Trump’s future? He is an admitted sexual predator and, like O’Reilly, is under the pressure of litigation from women who allege he harassed them. Will we see him in the dock? Will litigation bring him down, too? It remains to be seen, but it certainly isn’t good for Donald that one of his leading prime time defenders has been ousted for the same crimes.